Sec. 7.
(1) A grain dealer shall file an application for a new license or for renewal or amendment of a license with the department. The department may determine the time when an application is filed and the form of the application. A complete application shall include all of the following:
(a) The name and ownership interest of each owner, stockholder, member, or partner of the grain dealer who owns at least 5% of the shares, other than publicly traded shares, or other ownership interests of the grain dealer, or for a grain dealer described in section 9(3), at least 5% of the shares, other than publicly traded shares, or other ownership interests of the parent corporation.
(b) The location and storage capacity of each facility of the grain dealer.
(c) Proof of insurance for all farm produce stored at each facility of the grain dealer.
(d) A statement that none of the events described in section 10 have occurred within the 5 years preceding the date of the license application, or if any of those events have occurred, a description of those events.
(e) A statement of the total bushels of farm produce handled by the grain dealer during the grain dealer's most recent completed fiscal year.
(f) If the grain dealer's most recent completed fiscal year was for a period of less than 12 months or the grain dealer materially changed its farm produce handling practices in that fiscal year, a projection of the total bushels of farm produce the grain dealer expects to handle in the current fiscal year.
(g) Copies of all warehouse receipt forms, price later agreement forms, and acknowledgment forms used by the grain dealer.
(h) Copies of all of the grain dealer's facility lease agreements and bin charts.
(i) If the grain dealer does not maintain an office in this state and does not have a resident agent in this state, the application shall include a written appointment of a statutory agent upon whom process, notice, or demand may be served. The statutory agent shall be an individual residing in this state or a corporation whose principal place of business is located in this state. If the identity or address of the statutory agent changes while the application is pending or after a license is issued, the grain dealer shall within 3 days file with the department a written appointment of the new statutory agent or written notice of the new address, as applicable.
(j) The license fee described in section 8.
(k) The financial statement described in section 9.
(2) If an application described in subsection (1) is considered incomplete by the department, the department shall notify the applicant in writing or electronically within 30 days after receipt of the incomplete application, describing the deficiency and requesting the additional information. The 30-day time period described in subsection (6) is tolled upon notification by the department of a deficiency until the date the requested information is received by the department. The determination of the completeness of an application does not operate as an approval of the application for the license and does not confer eligibility of an applicant determined otherwise ineligible for issuance of a license. The tolling of the 30-day time period under this subsection does not allow the department to otherwise delay the processing of the application, and that application, upon completion, shall be placed in sequence with other complete applications received at that same time.
(3) For a license renewal, a licensee shall submit the complete application to the department at least 30 days before the expiration of the current license term.
(4) If an application is withdrawn before a license or renewal is approved, the department shall retain $50.00 for processing and return the remainder of the license fee to the grain dealer.
(5) By submitting an application, a grain dealer consents to inspection and auditing of its farm produce and financial records and its operations by the department. The grain dealer shall make the records available to the department in this state if the department makes a request to inspect or audit the records.
(6) The department shall issue or deny an initial or renewal license within 30 days after the department receives a complete application from an applicant.
(7) If the department fails to issue or deny a license within the time required by this section, the department shall return the license fee and shall reduce the license fee for the applicant's next renewal application, if any, by 15%. The department shall not discriminate against an applicant in the processing of the application based upon the fact that the license fee was refunded or discounted under this subsection.
(8) Beginning October 1, 2005, the director of the department shall submit a report by December 1 of each year to the standing committees and appropriations subcommittees of the senate and house of representatives concerned with agricultural issues. The director shall include all of the following information in the report concerning the preceding fiscal year:
(a) The number of initial and renewal applications the department received and completed within the 30-day time period described in subsection (6).
(b) The number of applications denied.
(c) The number of applicants not issued a license within the 30-day time period and the amount of money returned to licensees and registrants under subsection (7).
History: 1939, Act 141, Eff. Sept. 29, 1939 ;-- CL 1948, 285.67 ;-- Am. 1976, Act 259, Imd. Eff. Aug. 12, 1976 ;-- Am. 1978, Act 154, Imd. Eff. May 22, 1978 ;-- Am. 1982, Act 33, Eff. Sept. 12, 1982 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 80, Eff. Mar. 31, 2003 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 274, Imd. Eff. July 23, 2004
Compiler's Notes: Section 2 of Act 33 of 1982 provides: “This amendatory act shall take effect 6 months after it has been enacted into law and shall apply only to licenses issued or renewed after the effective date.”